Pump valve



April 28, 1925. 1,535,893

M. BELCH ER PUMP VALVE Filed May 1924 Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

MARK BEL-CHER, DAISETTLA, TEXAS.

PUMP VALVE.

Application filed May 27,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, MARK BELCHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Daisetta, Texas, have invented a certain new and 6 usefulImprovement in Pump Valves, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention'relates to valves such as are employed in pumps designedfor handling mud, water, and liquids carrying sand or sediment tendingto wear the valves.

In mudpumps such as are employed in well drilling operation, the pumpmust handle large quantities of muddy fluid employed :in flushing outthe material disintegrated by II the drill. The mud ordinarily has, insus-- pension therein, large quantities of sand and abrasive materialtending to wear the valves. The valves are worn so quickly that theymust be repacked or renewed so frequently as to necessitate employingextra pumps to be used when others are being-repaired A large amount ofvaluable time and material are thus lost in maintaining the pumps inoperating condition.

It is an object of my invention to pro vide a valve which will resistwear-for long periods of time under the conditions of wear to which mudpumps are subjected.

It is another object to provide a pump valve which will not bedetrimentally affect ed by the action of salt water or acidsoccasionally encountered in drilling oil or sulphur wells.

It is also desired that it be capable of maintaining a tight fit in itsseat without the necessity of packing.

In carrying out my invention I employ certain species of hard, toughwood which must be specially treated; and the process of treatment towhich the wood is subject comprises an important part of my invention.

Referring to the drawings herewith, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of awooden disc comprising the body'of my valve member. Fig. 2 is a brokenview partly in section through a pump of the character inferred to, inwhich my valve is employed. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section througha slightly modified valve. Like numerals of reference are employed todesignate like parts in all the views.

In the ordinary type of so-called gumbo buster mud pump, the valve 1 isdisc shaped and seats upon aring 2 fitting within a seat 3 in the pump4. The valve 1 is slidable 1924. Serial No. 716,104.

on. a rod 5 and is held resiliently in its seat by a spring 6 bearing atits upper end against the discharge valve cover 7 which also retains theupper end of the valve rod 5.

, The ordinary Valve employed in this type of pump is metal packed withsome compressible composition such as rubber or rubberized fabric. Ihavefound that a wooden disk, properly selected and treated will be muchmore lasting and satisfactory.

I select a tree of hard wood such as sweet gum, hickory, or pecan. It iswell in young trees to select only the lower end adjacent the ground.This portion is thoroughly seasoned which may be done by peeling thebark from the lower end of the tree and allowing the tree to stand uncutuntil it is thoroughly dry. I may, however, season the piece by placingit in a bath of salt Water and keeping it submerged therein for severalmonths. I usually treat the wood in brine for about six months.

I obtain good results by selecting trees which can be turned down to theproper diameter with very little labor, and after the wood has beenthoroughly treated it is turned in a lathe to about the proper diameterof the valve which is to 'be constructed. About one-eighth of an inch isallowed for shrinkage. The block is then cut up into discs of about oneand one-fourth inches in thickness, and the outer face of each disc, isslightly curved sothat it is slightly smaller in diameter at each end toallow for a proper seating of the valve without obstruction.

The discs thus cut into proper shape are then put in a container havinglinseed oil therein and thoroughly soaked for about twenty-four hours.The discs are then removed and placed. in a bath composed of aboutone-half linseed oil and one-fourth each of lead and graphite. Thismixture is thoroughly heated and the discs are submitted to a boilingtemperature while in this charge for about fifteen minutes and then areallowed to cool.

The discs are thus in shape to use except for-a hardening treatment forwhich they are further subjected. I find that by submit-ting the outersurface of the disc to a burning temperature so that the outer sur faceis slightly charred by the heat, the wood is not only better preservedand hardened,

but will have a velvety texture which makes it form a better seat in itspumping operations. The charring of thesurface is not sufiicient toremove any material portion of the wood, and may best be done by placingthe disc upon a red hot metallic surface for a very short period. Thedisc is then smoothed slightly with sand paper or other similartreatment, and is ready for use. A central opening 8 is bored throughthe center thereof to receive the valve stem.

If the disc is to be used in ordinary mud pumps the valve issufficiently strong to withstand an rough usage to which it may be putfor ong periods of time. If the valve is to be used with high pressurepumps in which high pressures are employed, it is desirable in someinstances to reinforce the disc somewhat to prevent crackingor splittingunder the strain of the excessive pressure. In such cases I employ anopen cap .or ring 9, such as is shown in Fig. 3, fitting over the upperend of the disc and setting down around the periphery thereof for ashort distance sufiicient to prevent splitting or cracking of the disc.I may set the ring 9 into the side of the disc so that it will comeflush with the outer face thereof, as shown in the drawing. The lowerface of the disc is thus formed of the hard wood treated as above setforth: A contacting surface between the disc and the ring 2 forming theseat thereof is therefore made with the charred lower face of the discand the close fitting between the parts will be accomplished, which willnot be easily worn by the sand or mud, and will endure for a much longerperiod than will the ordinary packing now employed. It will also beobvious that a disc of this kind is not affected materially by acids orsalt water, and for this reason will function more effectively than theusual metal or composition disc.

In the formation of a valve disc such as described, it is contemplatedthat different hard woods will be employed and that after seasoning inthe manner set forth, such wood will be submitted to the process oftreatment described. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the exactmethod of treatment further than is set forth in the claims appendedhereto; it being obvious that various changes may be made in the processof formation of the valve disc without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toLetters Patent is:

1. A process of treating pump valves of hard wood comprising, thoroughlyseasonprotect by ing said valves, submitting them to the ac linseed oilfor approximately twenty-four hours, then boiling the same in a mixturecomposed of approximately one-half linseed oil, one-fourth White lead,and one-fourth graphite, and then charring the outer surace.

3. A process of treating wooden valve discs comprising, soaking the woodin a bath of salt water for a period of several months, soaking thediscs in a bath of linseed oil, then boiling the same in linseed oil,white lead and graphite, and then charring the lower face for thepurpose described.

4. A process of forming a valve disc comprising, seasoning hard wood fora sufficient period, sawing the wood into discs of the proper size,soaking the samein linseed. oil, then boilingsaid discs in linseed oil,white lead and graphite, and submit ting the outer surface of the discto the action of dry heat.

5. A process of forming valve discs for mud pumps comprising thoroughlyseasoning the wood, soaking the discs for several hours in linseed oil,boiling the discs in equal parts of graphite and white 'lea'd mixed withoil, charring the outer surface pf the discs and smoothing the lowersurace.

6. A process of forming valve discs for mud pumps comprising, cuttinghard wood into discs of the desired form, soaking said discs in linseedoil, then boiling said discs in a mixture of linseed oil, graphite andlead, charring the outer surface, and smoothing the lower face.

7. A process of forming valve discs for mud pumps comprising, cuttinghard wood into discs of the desired form, thoroughly impregnating saiddiscs with oil, charring the outer surface thereof, and smoothing theworking faces of said discs.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 22nd day of May,A. D. 1924.

MARK BELCHER.

